Missouri · GEOID 29035

Carter County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 5,297 · 2,676 housing units

Median household income

$50,000

State $72,143

Median home value

$159,400

State $232,120

Median gross rent

$656

State $1,040

Homeownership rate

60.7%

State 68.1%

Renter cost-burden rate

50.0%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

17.9%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

1.8%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

1.1%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

23.8%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.19

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Carter County	Missouri
Population	5,297	6,191,814
Population density (per sq. mi.)	10.44	—
Median household income	$50,000	$72,143
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$63,100	—
Households	2,038	—
Average household size	2.58 people	—
Owner-occupied	60.7%	68.1%
Renter-occupied	39.3%	31.9%
Race	92.6% White · 0.4% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Carter County compared with Missouri.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

10.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 32.4%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	21.3%	$50,324	$1,258	$156,303
1 earner	32.0%	$31,479	$787	$86,156
2 earners	39.7%	$94,079	$2,352	$319,174
3+ earners	7.0%	$138,000	$3,450	$482,663

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

2,038

Average size: 2.58 people

Households with children

457

22.4% of households

Per-capita income

$27,032

Poverty rate: 18.1%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

60.7% owner-occupied vs. state average 68.1%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 69.9% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 9.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

49.4% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,983.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $159,400.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $656.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 638 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 3.6% · For rent 1.4% · Seasonal 51.3% · Other 43.7%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

5.0% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 95.0% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

12.2%

327 units of 2,676 total

⚑ Above the 10% threshold — meaningful pressure on year-round residents from second-home / short-term-rental demand.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

10.4%

279 units of 2,676 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$40,000

100% MHI$50,000

120% MHI$60,000

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Carter County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$43,400	$49,600	$62,000
100% AMI	$44,170	$50,480	$63,100
120% AMI	$53,000	$60,600	$75,700

HUD FMR Area: Carter County, MO. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

50.0% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (16.9% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

17.9% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Carter County.

Covered employment

1,184

Across 11 sectors

Establishments

208

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$38,385

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	288	$26,072	$66,029	−$93,371	$652
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	236	$40,815	$120,908	−$38,492	$1,020
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	196	$39,128	$114,628	−$44,772	$978
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	144	$25,125	$62,504	−$96,896	$628
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	86	$72,636	$239,356	+$79,956	$1,816
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	83	$50,817	$158,139	−$1,261	$1,270
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	74	$36,457	$104,686	−$54,714	$911
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	58	$54,940	$173,486	+$14,086	$1,374
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	8	$29,465	$78,659	−$80,741	$737
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	6	$56,086	$177,752	+$18,352	$1,402
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	5	$19,825	$42,776	−$116,624	$496

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	236	$40,815	$120,908	−$38,492	$1,020
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	154	$17,652	$34,687	−$124,713	$441
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	125	$17,875	$35,517	−$123,883	$447
NAICS 712 Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions NAICS 712	86	$72,636	$239,356	+$79,956	$1,816
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	85	$34,146	$96,083	−$63,317	$854
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	71	$37,544	$108,732	−$50,668	$939
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	62	$34,266	$96,530	−$62,870	$857
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	57	$31,254	$85,318	−$74,082	$781
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	47	$60,287	$193,389	+$33,989	$1,507
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	40	$21,425	$48,732	−$110,668	$536
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	22	$47,314	$145,099	−$14,301	$1,183
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	13	$52,786	$165,468	+$6,068	$1,320
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	12	$27,810	$72,499	−$86,901	$695
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	11	$32,091	$88,434	−$70,966	$802
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	8	$29,465	$78,659	−$80,741	$737
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	7	$27,658	$71,933	−$87,467	$691
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	6	$56,086	$177,752	+$18,352	$1,402
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	5	$19,825	$42,776	−$116,624	$496
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	4	$49,508	$153,266	−$6,134	$1,238

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	5,060	(920)	(15%)	$14.59	$30,350	$81,953	$759
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	810	110	16%	$14.79	$30,770	$83,517	$769
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	1,490	(3,710)	(71%)	$14.81	$30,800	$83,629	$770
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	2,050	(280)	(12%)	$16.71	$34,750	$98,332	$869
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,620	(400)	(20%)	$16.75	$34,830	$98,630	$871
Tellers SOC 43-3071	920	(270)	(23%)	$16.80	$34,930	$99,002	$873
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	2,950	(1,350)	(31%)	$17.20	$35,770	$102,129	$894
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	3,800	(560)	(13%)	$17.21	$35,800	$102,240	$895
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	340	90	36%	$18.02	$37,490	$108,531	$937
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	3,510	570	19%	$20.06	$41,730	$124,314	$1,043
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,920	(520)	(21%)	$22.82	$47,460	$145,643	$1,187
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	3,200	990	45%	—	$48,040	$147,802	$1,201
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	1,120	240	27%	$23.33	$48,520	$149,588	$1,213
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	3,490	(490)	(12%)	$25.28	$52,580	$164,701	$1,315
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	790	170	27%	$27.06	$56,290	$178,511	$1,407
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	180	(640)	(78%)	$27.62	$57,450	$182,829	$1,436
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	970	(310)	(24%)	$27.92	$58,080	$185,174	$1,452
Electricians SOC 47-2111	390	(60)	(13%)	$30.09	$62,580	$201,924	$1,565
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	320	100	45%	$33.46	$69,600	$228,055	$1,740
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	3,650	(120)	(3%)	$37.95	$78,940	$262,822	$1,974

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 29035 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.